Saif Ali Khan is all support for kids' career plans

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He is the grandson of one of India’s greatest captains ever, late Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, and the great grandson of the legendary Iftikhar Ali Khan. So it hardly comes as a surprise that Saif Ali Khan’s son, Ibrahim, is showing interest in cricket. The 12-year-old, who studies at Dhirubhai Ambani International School (BKC) in Mumbai, is playing for the Giles Shield inter-school cricket tournament.

And his father is clearly elated. “I am really happy that Ibrahim is taking interest in cricket. Right now, he is just having fun and enjoying the sport. So there shouldn’t be any kind of pressure on him. At this point, no one should even think of comparing him with his great grandfather (he played cricket for England and post-1947 for India as the captain) or grandfather. It would be really unfair on him,” says the actor.

Although Saif himself didn’t take up cricket, he has no regrets about it. “But if Ibrahim is interested in the sport, I would support him in whatever way I can,” says the actor. “But that (becoming a cricketer) will depend on him. Ibrahim can become whatever he wants. My parents never pressurised me to do anything. So there’s no question of me doing anything like that,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Saif says he has no objection if his daughter, 20-year-old Sara, joins Bollywood, provided she completes her education. “She is studying in Columbia University in the US. She will have a degree and then she is free to choose whatever she wants to do. She can live and work anywhere in the world, she can join films, or become a lawyer...it is upto her,” says Saif. Asked if he would help her find her first foothold in Bollywood, he says, “Of course. But if she chooses to be in the film industry, then she will have to lose weight.”